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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24943138">Under The Lights of Cosmo Canyon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerithFaremis/pseuds/AerithFaremis'>AerithFaremis</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Hopeful Ending, Romance</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:34:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,994</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24943138</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerithFaremis/pseuds/AerithFaremis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When the group is reunited around the warm bonfire of Cosmo Canyon, Aerith shares some details about her fate with her friends. How will Cloud, Tifa, Barret and Red XIII react once they learn about her tragic duty? Will there be hope for their beloved local florist?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Under The Lights of Cosmo Canyon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hi! English is not my native language, so sorry for the possible mistakes! I hope you enjoy this, I really love Clerith and wanted to write a fic about them, my very first one!! </p><p>P.S: I have always loved that Cosmo Canyon scene between our bodyguard and our flower girl and wanted to do something with it. Hope you like it and leave a comment!!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The group sat down around the warm bonfire, a comfy place in the middle of Cosmo Canyon. This was a town up in the mountains, which offered a great view of the starry sky, little and bright dots beautifully decorating that huge and dark landscape above their heads.<br/>
They were all waiting for Aerith to talk and tell them about her conversation with the wise Bugenhagen, Red XIII's grandfather. After all, the wise old man had told her to stay a little longer to talk with him about the Ancients, history and that "unknown" fate that they were about to face.</p><p>"So... what did he tell you?" Barret was the first one to ask. The leader of AVALANCHE had a great curiosity surrounding that place and its citizens, and he also desired to talk with Bugenhagen and learn more new things about the Planet, so he was impatient and craving to know what their conversation had been about. </p><p>"Well...I..." began Aerith. Her face was down, not ready yet to look to any of her friends. She started to fidget, after all, what she had for them to tell was far from easy. It was even painful for her, not because of her already shattered heart after discovering the truth alongside Bugenhagen, but because she didn't want them to be worried about her or sad. Her greatest desire was to see them smile peacefully and with true happiness. But she couldn't avoid it anymore. She remembered the last words the wise Bugenhagen said to her: </p><p>"You must tell them the truth, Aerith. If you want them to help you save the Planet, they will need a reason to do it. You must trust on them, on your friendship bond. Hide it will only make it more painful." </p><p>The florist let out a long breath. Both Tifa and Cloud noticed that something was disturbing the always smiley and positive girl, but it was Tifa who spoke first: </p><p>"Aerith, don't be afraid of telling us" her friend said, smiling tenderly. "We are together in this, and we want to help you. We want to know much more about you, trust on us." </p><p>The green-eyed girl raised her face and look at them, trying to draw a soft smile on her face. She looked at each one of them: </p><p>Barret offered her a smile, taking off his sunglasses and looking at her tenderly. Tifa smiled sweetly, waiting patiently for her to tell them all the truth hidden under her everlasting smiles. </p><p>Red XIII just gave her an elegant and slow nod, but not because he didn't care of her, but because something was telling him already what was going on. Cloud looked at her and gave her a reassuringly nod with a tiny, almost faded smile, one that didn't reach his eyes, because he could feel her nervousness and that was enough for him to be on high alarm. </p><p>Aerith tried particularly not to look at him. If she did, she would break down in the middle of her speech and she had to be strong from now on, she couldn't be selfish. She had to be strong for them, for him, to protect them. </p><p>"All my life...I have been prepared for this. I knew what my fate and my duty were, and I accepted them a long time ago. It was something that must be done by the last of the Ancients, and in order to protect the Planet and the people I love. But...when we defeated the Arbiters of Fate, a whole new world of possibilities was sprung in front of my eyes" she said.</p><p>Everybody was listening to her, paying attention to every single word coming out from those pink lips. </p><p>"But...after having talked with Bugenhagen..."  she tried to continue, but she made the mistake of letting her eyes meet with Cloud's, feeling his anxiety increasing as her words were flowing through the warm air of the night. She suddenly stopped with a sharp breath.</p><p>"After having talked with Bugenhagen, you...?" Tifa intervened again, trying to make things easier for her friend.</p><p>Aerith tried again: </p><p>"He just confirmed me what ...I already supposed. It's hard for me to explain but..." she closed her eyes " I was going to die in the fate we destroyed. I had, and I still have, to summon Holy, protector of the Planet, in order to stop Sephiroth. What I told you all before going through the portal...He's a great threat. For all of us. But Holy won't be enough. That's why... that's why I have to die in this new fate, too, so that way I will be able to control the Lifestream. I'm sorry I have to ask you this but...without your help and your company, without your friendship, I won't be able to do it. Will you come with me, now that you know the entire truth?" </p><p>The entire group stood still. Barret was feeling uncomfortable, sad, with a strong sensation of hesitation going up from his belly to his heart. He was doubtful, how could he accompany this loving florist, the girl who saved his Marlene, to her own grave? Aerith seemed determined, there was no doubt about it, determined of accomplish her duty and protect her loved ones, but...</p><p>Tifa was letting her tears flowing and running down her cheeks. She had already lost Jessie and Biggs at the pillar, and probably Wedge went through the same fate at Shinra HQ. How would she let another dear friend to die? </p><p>"No way" she said, clenching her fists and trembling "I won't let you do such thing, Aerith, there must be another way, there must be! " the black-haired girl started to sob painfully, and Aerith hug her tightly, trying to avoid her own tears to spill out. </p><p>'This isn't about my pain, now.' thought Aerith, while she was caressing tenderly her friend's long hair. Red XIII let his head fall down too, feeling sad and overwhelmed by the situation, because of the great love and care he already felt for Aerith. </p><p>Meanwhile, Cloud stood up, his lips trembling. He silently went away, wanting to go as far as he could from the others, while a silent tear went down his cheek. Aerith looked at him, worried, but she would talk with him later. Tifa and Red were crying at the moment and she wanted to comfort them the best way she could. </p><p>More than an hour later, Tifa, Barret and Red were trying to sleep in their tents after learning such heartbreaking new. However, Aerith was still awake, looking for Cloud all over Cosmo Canyon. She wanted to talk with him, she needed to. </p><p>After a while, she found him. He was sitting down at the edge of the exterior of Bugenhagen's Observatory, his feet hanging and his gaze lost, looking at the stars and the extension of land ahead of him. </p><p>Aerith stood some distance away, looking at him with a soft gaze. He looked like a lonely kid who had been scolded, sitting down there, with his back at the entire world.</p><p>"I know you are there." he said, in a low voice. " I can feel you." </p><p>Aerith let out a soft smile and a light chuckle, and walked until she stood up next to him. </p><p>"Can I sit down here?" she asked, softly. He only looked up at her, noticing how painfully beautiful she looked under the starlight, and this was enough answer for the girl, who took a sit next to him. They stood in silent for a while, but it wasn't uncomfortable for any of them. </p><p>"I know...you may think I'm crazy or something like that." she began. </p><p>"I don't. I can feel the great bond and duty you have with the Planet." he simply said, avoiding looking at her. </p><p>"But you are mad..."<br/>
"I am."<br/>
"Mind telling me why?" she asked, trying to sound playful, kind, as if they were not talking about...</p><p>He let out a grunt.<br/>
"You know? When you were kidnapped at the Shin Ra building I was worried as hell. We found an underground lab, they were researching with humans, humans that were dying inside, becoming monsters. I couldn't help but see your face in each and one of them. And I promised to myself that I would never, ever let anybody hurt you." </p><p>"Cloud..."<br/>
"And then that dream and you telling me not to fall in love with you. And now, you are asking me to join you in your journey to death. Sorry but..." </p><p>He couldn't say anything else. Suddenly, Aerith pushed him back to the floor, making him fall on his back. She went on him, her fists clenched tight and tried to hit him, but Cloud avoided her hits and hardly got to trap her hands around him. Once he could, he saw how her face was wincing in anger.</p><p>"You think I asked you not to fall in love with me because I wanted to hurt you? You think it was easy for me back then, when I saw how you suffered, how you broke down just because of me? Do you think it will be any easier if I...?" she said, her voice trembling for her tears that were burning her eyes as each word was said.</p><p>"Aerith...This is not about me." he said, a gloved hand trying to caress her cheek and wipe her tears tenderly. "Is about you. And how you deserve to be happy, to have a chance. Of course, you have a duty, but I know that there must be another way. And we will find that way." </p><p>The florist looked down at him, pouting like a little girl, some last remnants of her tears still on her cheeks.</p><p>"But Bugenhagen said that..."<br/>
"I know what he said." he interrupted. He sat down, putting Aerith softly in front of him and taking both her hands between his, squeezing slightly.</p><p>And I'll remember what he said. But, also, meanwhile, we will find another way. You are always telling us not to lose hope and you gave up so easily?" he continued, trying to sound mock, but, instead, he sounded weak, anxious, trying to convince her, to avoid that dark and distressful choice she had already made. </p><p>How was he going to let the light of the world, and his world, turn off so easily, without fighting? They could defeat Sephiroth, she could defeat Sephiroth, control the Lifestream, control the entire world if she desired to. Fuck, she was the last living Ancient of the Planet, how was it there was no other way for her?</p><p>She looked down at their holding hands, smiling softly. Only Cloud could make her feel in a shell, protected from all the darkness and harms of the world with such little gesture like that one. </p><p>She felt her heart beat faster. All this time, she had accepted her fate, without questioning, without hesitation. Without rejection. She was even afraid when they defeated the Fate and everything was unknown for her. But ... what if there was a way of fulfilling her duty and, at the same time, be happy? </p><p>"Aerith, I'm here for you. Right? We are all here for you. Let us try." he said, in a low voice. </p><p>She stared at him, lost in his beautiful and eerie Mako eyes, those eyes that made her have hope. </p><p>"Let's try" she finally said, and without thinking too much, she fell in his arms, holding him tightly. She breathed his soft smell, a mixture of cotton and mountains. She felt his strong arms around her, and one of his hands stroking her brown locks slowly. He felt how a peaceful warmth was growing in his heart, making him hug her tightly as she nestled her head on his neck. </p><p>"I won't let you go" he said, with only the stars as witness of their loving embrace.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>https://twitter.com/FaremisAerith</p><p>Posting my fics in a Twitter account I’ve made :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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